


Catwoman: Son of Batman

by Pearalu



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Catwoman (Comics), Son of Batman (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Catlad, Alternate Universe - Stray, Damian Wayne is Catlad, Damian Wayne-centric, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-03-07 13:36:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18874252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearalu/pseuds/Pearalu
Summary: After Deathstroke crippled the League, Mother took Damian to Gotham City. She believed he'd be safer with Batman, but he didn't want to live with his absent Father. Fortunately, he found an option that would allow him to stay in Gotham while also not living with Father, satisfying both parties. Unfortunately, he'd have to stay with a complete stranger who seemed to have a cat fetish.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I got a DC Universe membership and watched the DCAMU movies. Some were hit while others were miss, but generally I liked the movies. While watching Son of Batman, I loved how Talia gives Damian to Bruce because she wants to protect him, which was refreshing for me to see because in the comics she literally shucked Damian onto Bruce as part of her masterplan to rule the world, etc. and didn't care about him whatsoever. He was raised as a weapon to be Batman's undoing, and this makes him a complete brat when we meet him in the comics. On the other hand, I like how in this movie they characterized Damian as being nurtured and raised to take over the League. He's still a complete asshole, but it's far better to deal with than a bratty child-weapon. Fuck Morrison for making Talia a completely, irredeemable shitty mother. The movie did her more justice, and that's still a far cry from her older comic runs where she's a sympathetic villain with many morals and is very motherly (as seen from her interactions with Jason).  
> I also saw the new trailer for Batman: Hush drop and was all like "Holy shit we're finally gonna see a Catwoman in these movies" and that's where I got the idea to make this Catlad fic. Yeah, I've joined the fandom bandwagon. Sue me.

Damian stood at the head of the stairs, horrified to see Grandfather’s corpse only centimeters from reaching the Lazarus Pit. He heard Mother running into the room, stopping next to Damian. After regaining some of his composure, Damian dazedly walked down the stairs.

“Damian,” Talia warned.

He let his sword clatter to the ground and fell to his knees next to Grandfather’s charred body.

“No.” Disbelief coursed through his body. Ra’s al Ghul, the Demon’s Head, could not be _dead_. Especially when he was so close to reaching the Lazarus Pit.

In desperation, Damian started pulling at Grandfather’s shoulders, pleading to Mother, “We have to get him into the Lazarus Pit!” When he finally held Grandfather in his arms and started moving towards the Pit, Mother rushed to Damian and stopped in front of him.

Putting a hand on his shoulder, she commanded, “Stop.”

“We have to try! We can’t just leave him!”

“He’s dead. The Pit can’t restore a body this damaged.” The truth crushed Damian’s heart, unshed tears in his eyes.

Mother continued. “He’s beyond healing.”

At this, Damian gingerly placed Grandfather down onto the floor and kneeled next to his body, mourning the murder of a legendary man. Deathstroke will _pay_ will killing Grandfather and crippling the League of Assassins. No one dares challenge the League, much less someone unworthy of Grandfather’s legacy.

Mother crouched behind him, placing her hands comfortingly on his shoulders.

“You did your best.” She stood up and walked away.

Damian didn’t believe her. “I failed.”

Her voice turned hard. “We can’t think about that now. We have to move. Come.”

When he didn’t move, her voice became stern. “Damian, now!” He couldn’t bring himself to move away from Grandfather’s body. He knew he was nine years old and that his behavior was unbecoming for both his age and the heir of the League, but could Mother let him mourn Grandfather at least a little longer?

She could not. She strode back to him and grabbed his arm, bodily pulling him away from Grandfather. He allowed himself to look at Grandfather one last time before turning away and looking at the back of Mother’s head.

“Where are we going?” he asked, his expression turning to steel. It’s what Grandfather would have expected of him. It’s certainly what Mother was expecting of him now.

Mother continued dragging him behind her and didn’t turn to answer him. “Gotham City. It’s time to meet your father.”

.....

Catwoman saw the _luxurious_ yacht glide into Gotham and dock into the harbor. She knows she’ll find at least _something_ valuable there. Rich people always had their precious little trinkets available for her taking. Wonder who the lucky person will be? Everyone should know it’s an _honor_ if Catwoman steals their prized possessions.

As she slinked to the yacht, Selina heard movement behind her and dived immediately into the water. Not her most graceful hiding tactic, but the yacht parked next to flat, barren land. She needed to do _something_ to make sure she didn’t get caught. A good thief doesn’t get caught unless they _want_ to, after all.

When Catwoman poked her head out of the water, her eyes widened when she saw the person boarding the yacht.

Talia al Ghul.

Ooh, her night just got _interesting_. She slipped out of the water and entered the yacht from a window. Now what kind of information can she get from Talia al Ghul tonight? Even better: how much can she sell the information for? Hmm, perhaps Bruce can get it if he gives her a _real_ good chase.

.....

“Damian, we’ve been over this already.”

“But Mother-“

“No ‘buts,’ Damian. You will do as you’re told and stay with your Father until I restore the League.”

Damian’s grip on his backpack tightened. “I can help you! My skill exceeds _Deathstroke’s_ -“

Mother halted his next words by placing a firm hand on his shoulder and looking down at him with her green eyes. He had the same ones as hers, blazing with equal fire and intensity. Without any words exchanged between them, they found solidarity in mourning the great Ra’s al Ghul’s death.

“You want to avenge my Father.” Despite her voice sounding hard and cold, Damian could hear the softness only the Demon’s daughter could display to her son.

He hesitated for a moment before saying, “Yes. And I cannot do that unless I’m with you, Mother. Please, let me fight by your side. We can rebuild the League, together.” He knows this is the most time he has spent with his mother since his infant days, but he knows at nine years old he is ready to command the League, even if it’s as Mother’s second-in-command until he can truly take over.

Damian didn’t want to stay with her because he wanted to be around her. That’s childish. He wanted to avenge Grandfather and the League. He didn’t want to be with her. He wasn’t childish. He was only proposing the most _logical_ strategy to his Mother…so he could stay with her longer.

She took her hand off his shoulder and turned away. “It’s not safe for you, Damian. Batman has stopped Deathstroke multiple times. He is the only person other than myself I trust to protect you.”

This is perhaps as close as Damian or his Mother would ever get to saying the words, “I love you,” to each other.

He didn’t try to hide the disdain in his voice. “But how? Batman doesn’t _kill_. He-“ He won’t accept an _assassin_ living with him, much less protect him. He won’t care for the son he never raised. On the other hand, Damian won’t care for the Father he never met, much less a man so different from his Mother and Grandfather. Father’s ideals were so ridiculous, how could Mother allow him to stay with a complete _fool_?

Damian couldn’t bring himself to say any of that aloud to Mother. Both because he would be reprimanded or punished for it, and she wouldn’t have a completely reassuring answer for him. He didn’t know which one was worse.

Instead, he said, “Deathstroke won’t stop unless we kill him. Batman would stop us if he knew what is happening right now in the-“

Mother whirled back on him. “That’s enough! Go behind the curtain. Your Father should be on his way now.”

Damian grumbled several curses under his breath as he stalked towards the curtain, disappearing behind it.

“Do not disrespect your Mother,” she commanded, muffled behind the curtain.

“Yes, Mother,” he automatically answered.

“Do not disrespect your Father,” she continued.

After the slightest hesitation, he answered, “Yes, Mother.”

“You will honor your Grandfather’s legacy.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“You are ready to meet him.”

Damian knew these would be the last words they would share in private. They would not bid farewell in front of Father, showing any sign of weakness. He treasured these last moments with Mother, even if it’s behind this damn curtain.

He would make her proud.

.....

Bruce has a _son_?

Talia al Ghul and ‘Damian’ are in danger? From Slade Wilson?

The child wants to stay with Talia?

Wow, there was so much to unpack here. Usually, this is the point she would slip out into the night, information blackmail in her possession.

But she didn’t want to leave a kitten in danger. Batman may be one of the best fighters in the world, but he also has one of the biggest targets on his back. She knows it wouldn’t take long for the child to become Robin and then be the target of every one of Batman’s enemies.

Selina made an impulsive move. She slid into the main lounge, her hands loosely at her sides. No need to show hostility to an enemy far more hostile than her.

“You’re early, Beloved.” Talia turned around, and her eyes widened.

“Did you dump Bats for a Cat? You know I wouldn’t leave you disappointed,” Catwoman purred, eyeing Talia’s beautiful evening dress. Selina wasn’t particularly into women, but she had to admit the maroon gown hugged Talia in just the right places, showing enough skin to fuel the imagination.

Talia frowned, pulling a _sai_ out of _nowhere_. Selina shouldn’t be surprised, but she had _no_ _idea_ where Talia could’ve had it in her tight-fitting dress. Did she pull it out of her ass? Actually, that wouldn’t surprise Selina, considering how sour Talia’s face looked.

As Selina leisurely kept her hands up, she felt Talia pounce forward and press the cold blade against her throat, threatening to break skin.

“Kinky. I didn’t know you were into bloodplay. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. Must’ve left a lot of scars on Brucie-pie,” Selina casually flirted. She hoped her promiscuity would at least make her less threatening to Talia. It probably wouldn’t work, but it was worth a shot. She had a reputation to uphold, anyways.

The curtain was pulled aside by a small hand, and Selina saw a short, dark figure emerge from the shadows.

.....

Damian had been watching the entire encounter between Mother and Catwoman. He’d heard about the cat-themed thief, mostly from when Mother was jealous that Father was spending his time with the worthless vermin. He had enough of their flirting. It was unbecoming for Mother to associate with impure blood.

“Mother, I can rid of this vermin, if she displeases you so.”

Mother pulled the sai away from Catwoman. “That will not be necessary.”

Catwoman leaned forward with her hands on her knees, tilting her head and studying him.

“So Talia al Ghul and Bruce Wayne really do have a son.” It was a statement that wanted to be a question.

“-tt-“ Damian then rapidly unsheathed his katana and pointed it menacingly at Catwoman. “Mother, she overheard us. She must die.”

Catwoman smiled even wider. It made Damian want to slit her throat.

“I’m here to make a deal.”

“We don’t deal with _thieves_ like you,” Mother spat.

“No, not my _services_. What I’m offering instead is to take Damian under _my_ protection. He will be safer with me.” Damian had a hard time believing that.

Mother crossed her arms. “Oh? How will you do that as a wanted criminal?”

“I don’t have as many enemies as Bruce does. And many of Gotham’s villains are my allies, so he won’t be targeted by them. As a _thief_ , I operate mostly undetected because Batman and his Justice League don’t take me as seriously compared to other, bigger threats. I assume it would be the same for him.”

Pondering on her words, Damian could see the advantages of Catwoman’s proposal. He wouldn’t have to stay with his absent Father and hide in plain sight. He could also leave the _Cat lady_ and hunt Deathstroke himself. He knows Father would keep him close, but Catwoman? He had no doubt he could easily slip away from her.

Catwoman sauntered up to Talia as the assassin narrowed her eyes. “Besides, you know Bats has a…soft spot for children. If he becomes my protégée, he can still have Bruce’s protection, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Indignation flared within Damian. “I’m not a child!”

Mother placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, her attention still on the leather-clad woman. “You want some _Catboy_ to run around Gotham with you? I will have my son do no such thing.”

“Oh, heaven’s, no! I wouldn’t force the kitten to do anything with me, but I think it would be easier for Bruce to notice him if he was publicly my protégé. It would be better than if he went with Batman and became Robin-”

“I think we are done here. Damian, come here and-“

“I agree,” Damian confidently answered, sheathing his katana.

Mother tightened her grip on him and forced him to face her. “Damian, that’s not for you to decide.” He made brutal eye contact with her. She returned her glare in full force.

After a moment of warring, he pulled himself away from Mother and faced Catwoman, holding out his hand.

As Catwoman shook his hand, he declared, “I will stay with Catwoman, Mother. If you don’t want me to fight alongside you, then at least let me operate freely under Catwoman’s instruction. I’m sure you know Father would keep me under constant surveillance.”

“So you want to treat Catwoman like one of your many instructors?” Mother asked.

Damian nodded as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. “Yes, Mother.” It would make their goodbye seem less final. He was just going to one of his many tutors. Yes, that’s what it is. He’s just continuing his League training. He’s not leaving Mother because the League barely exists anymore.

“Ooh, I’m gonna be a teacher. This is purr-fect.” Catwoman’s face suddenly hardened. “I know we’ve been fighting over the same man, but don’t doubt I won’t protect your son. I will. I promise, Talia.”

Mother sighed. “I suppose he can stay with you. If you don’t uphold your offer, or _anything_ happens to Damian, I _will_ kill you.”

“I don’t doubt it. There is nothing stronger than a mother’s true love for her child.”

Mother blankly stared at her before turning away. “You and Damian need to leave now. Batman should be done throwing Killer Croc into Arkham Asylum. He should be here any moment now.”

Motioning for Damian to follow like he was a _cat_ , Catwoman swiftly turned around and walked away.

On his way out, he stopped at the doorframe and took one last, longing look at Mother. She seemed to be memorizing all his features too. When the fragile moment started to hurt his heart, he turned away and followed after Catwoman’s form.

.....

Bruce watched Talia pour a drink into a glass. “Would you like a drink?” she asked through her beautiful eyelashes.

 _Hard_ pass. “Last time, that didn't go so well.”

“Oh, you're right. If I remember correctly,” she moved towards him, “I put a little something in your beverage.” When she reached him, she placed a hand on his chest and pressed herself against him.

“Same way I remember it,” he gruffly replied.

“It made you romantic.”

“It made me do what you wanted,” he immediately snapped.

“Was it all bad, Beloved?” She wrapped her leg around his, her head in the crook of his shoulder.

“No, it wasn't all bad,” he admitted.

“Then you remember our shared moonlight?”

“Some of it.”

“The best parts?” Talia asked, the barest hint of a grin on her face.

He grabbed her by her arms. “Talia.” He pulled her away, ignoring the surprised expression on her face. “What do you want?”

Turning away from him, she wrapped her arms around her chest, tucking her body closer into itself. In this moment, she looked so…vulnerable.

After a moment of silence, she turned around and declared, “My father, he's dead.”

Bruce couldn’t hide the surprise from his face. “Ra's?”

“How many fathers do I have?” she snapped at him.

“Sorry. He always seemed-“

“Like you? Indestructible?”

“Huh. You haven't seen my x-rays.”

At this, she moved closer, pressing her body against his once again. “Maybe you can show them to me sometime.”

“You don't seem all that broken up about Ra's' death.”

This seemed to put her back on task because she moved away from him. “There is no time for mourning. Assassins plan to take over Ra's' organization. They are led by a man who Father believed could be his successor…until my father became aware of you.” Her gaze hardened. “Now this man wants to kill me.”

He waited a couple moments for her to continue, until he realized that was all she had to say. “So you’re asking for help?”

“No. I’m here to tell you to expect trouble from League splinter groups, namely Deathstroke among others.”

He put the pieces together quickly. “Deathstroke wants to kill you.”

“That is none of your concern, Beloved.”

Stepping forward, he said, “You’re in trouble, Talia. I can help you disappear. I can-”

“No, I must rebuild the League. You are looking at the League’s true leader, after all.” He nodded at her response.

It was worth a shot, but some things never change, do they?

As he went to leave, Talia stopped him. “Beloved?”

He halted in his tracks.

“I have some information of…particular interest. After I took down Killer Croc, I made my way here. Are you familiar with Catwoman?”

A little too much. “Hmm,” he grunted. By now, he’s sure Talia would know how _familiar_ he and Selina are.

“I saw her with a young child, seemingly trained. He looks to be her new protégé. Perhaps he needs some guidance. The life of a thief is no way to live.” Ah. So that’s what it was. She still held contempt for Selina and her nightly activities.

“I could say the same for an assassin.”

After a brief silence, Talia concluded, “Goodbye, Beloved. I don’t know how long I will be gone stopping Deathstroke and restoring the League.

Taking this as the end of their meeting, he walked out of the lounge and away from the woman he could never have.

Later, he watched Talia’s yacht depart Gotham’s waters, away from him. He hopped into the Batmobile and called Alfred.

“Alfred?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Open a new file for Catwoman’s protégé.”

“Another cat in Gotham? Oh goody.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Selina brings Damian to her house and learns how he was raised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, but it's finally here! Enjoy!!!  
> And if you haven't already, I recommend you watch Son of Batman (it's literally like 70 min long) so you can get where I'm drawing certain scenes from, but you don't have to watch it to understand what's happening in this fic.

Catwoman and Damian made their way across Gotham City. Along their brief run, his instructor pointed out notable landmarks and buildings. He already memorized Gotham’s layout before Mother’s yacht entered the city, but it was helpful to visually see the city for himself. They stopped on top of a building in the Upper East Side.

The woman pointed to the top level of the elegant building in front of them. “I have the penthouse suite. The entire floor, too.” He studied the condo a bit longer. Her choice of housing was ideal for her criminal activities and tasteful for her status as a social elite. Damian approved.

Following his new instructor, Damian entered her penthouse suite through the window. After a few moments, the lights flickered on, and Damian surveyed the suite. It had a modern style and was clean and expansive. Despite preferring the simplicity of Grandfather’s compounds, his new living quarters will do for now. After all, Gotham was a developed city, and he can adapt.

An orange cat sauntered up to him, making a tight figure eight around his legs. He raised an eyebrow at the woman taking off her cowl and heading to the kitchen.

“I shouldn’t be surprised you live with a cat.” A more cats began appearing out of their hiding places. “Or several.”

She made a dismissive motion with her hand. “They don’t live here. They come and go as they please. They’re cats, after all.” As if _that_ explains anything.

He kept his eyebrow raised as he plucked up the gray cat blocking his way. “You should assert your authority over them. They are _untrained_ ,” he said, dropping the cat ungracefully onto the couch. It started hissing at him, but he paid it no mind as he sat at the kitchen island, opposite to his instructor. He set his bag onto the floor next to him, keeping his katana strapped to his back.

“Don’t treat Zeus like that!” The woman ordered, slamming a cup of _milk_ on the countertop before him. Who does she think he is? A child?

He wrinkled his nose but took the cup. It was warm. “I’m not a child, woman.”

“I have a name, Damian.”

“I know. You’re Selina Kyle. Daughter of Calabrese, a mob boss. Lived in multiple foster homes. Learned how to steal. Became Catwoman. International thief and heist-woman. Based in Gotham. One of three Gotham City Sirens,” he listed off casually, picking up the glass and sniffing the beverage.

Almond milk? He watched her make the drink, and it didn’t appear to be poisoned. Regardless, he set the glass down. Show no weakness to your instructor. It was a lesson he learned the hard way, and the scars on his body reminded him every day of his failure.

Kyle had a surprised look on her face before she smiled. “Seems you know a lot about me. Your mom talk about me a lot?”

“-tt- Don't think yourself so important, Kyle. Mother planned to kill you to secure our future with Father.”

At this, Kyle tilted her head. She really was a cat. She already acted like it.

“First of all, call me ‘Selina’. And second of all, I’m still alive, so I assume it didn’t work? And why does she need to ‘secure’ her future with Bruce?”

“Because you are my instructor, I refuse to call you by your first name. It’s shameful to refer to your instructor so _informally_.

“And Mother didn’t plan for me to meet my Father until I was older. By then, you would’ve been long dead. She wanted to rid Father of your impure blood and dishonorable profession.”

Kyle raised her eyebrows and whistled. “Wow. There’s so much to unpack here, but how about we just throw away the whole suitcase.”

Damian blankly stared at her. “I don’t get it,” he admitted. Unless it was completely stupid, he was taught to never hesitate to ask his instructors any questions.

The woman didn’t answer him. What a rude instructor.

“Do you not like almond milk? Oh, I’m sorry, kitten. Are you allergic?” Kyle took his glass and poured it down the sink. Why would she be worried about his _allergies_ of all things? And ‘ _kitten’_?!

As she opened a cupboard, she asked, “Would you like something else to drink? Tea? Coffee? Though, I don’t think someone as young as you should be drinking coffee.” Kyle set a mug onto the countertop and began pulling tea packets out.

Damian’s annoyance was brewing. She was his _instructor_. She advanced his training and _education_ , not let him choose between different types of _tea_.

He took pity on Kyle because Mother didn’t _select_ her as his instructor. Kyle offered to train him. It was up to him to explain to her how his training normally operated.

“I was born in vitro and made to be genetically perfect. I don’t have any _allergies_ , like some commoner. I was also trained to never show weakness in front of my instructors. I assume I passed my test?” He gestured towards the almond milk glass again.

Slowly turning to face him, Kyle asked in a low voice, “You thought I would _hurt_ you? As part of a _test_? Damian, you’re supposed to _trust_ your sensei’s.”

Raising an eyebrow at her, he explained, “It wouldn’t be the first time. As heir of Grandfather’s legacy, I’m expected to care for myself without anyone’s help. In the League, I must trust no one, not even Mother. That is the assassin way.”

The woman walked around the countertop to stand next to him. He stood up and faced her.

Kneeling so they were at eye-level, she softly reprimanded, “That’s no way to live, Damian.”

As if he chose to be Grandfather’s heir?

“Better than the life of a _thief_ ,” he retorted.

Kyle shook her head at him. “That’s still no way to live.”

“They taught me how to fight.”

“Hmm. I take it not much else,” she murmured.

Damian frowned. “As an assassin, it was expected. I was Ra's al Ghul's _grandson_.”

Kyle tilted her head in that cat-like way again. “Was it _all_ like that, Damian?”

Must he spell it out for the _cat lady_?

“I was being groomed to lead humanity, like my Grandfather. We were going to create a whole new world. By killing, if that’s what it took.”

“…how do you hope to lead humanity when you've never been a part of it?” she asked in a soft voice. Her blue eyes appeared melancholy, and Damian couldn’t figure out why. He could understand if she was against him being a killer, but she wasn’t _angry_ at him. She was so… _sorrowful_.

Damian wouldn’t let anyone take _pity_ on him.

“What about you?” he snapped. “From what I heard, your childhood wasn't a lot of fun either.”

Kyle sighed. “I’ve had my traumas, but I also had people around me to help. I had _friends._ I _trust_ them. As far as I can tell, all you've had are _trainers_. There's a difference, Damian,” she gently explained.

She placed her hand on his shoulder, and he immediately tensed, expecting her to attack him.

If it was possible, her eyes grew bigger and sadder. “I’m not going to hurt you, kitten. Even when we train.”

Ripping her hand away from him, he crossed his arms. “-tt- I don’t need you to go _easy_ on me, sensei. I can handle myself…and don’t call me ‘kitten.’”

With her hands in her lap, Kyle sighed and stood up. “How about I show you to your room? We can talk more tomorrow morning.”

He nodded and slung his bag over his shoulder, following in step after Kyle.

.....

As she opened the unused guest room, Selina could hardly believe what just happened. Damian was far too young to think like a jaded adult, much less an assassin. Robin? She could understand because Bruce’s sons wanted to fight for justice. Robin trusted Batman.

Damian? Damian trusted _no one_.

The child inspected the room and said, “These are acceptable quarters. I will see you tomorrow morning.” Damian set his bag onto the bed, starting to unpack his things, and then he looked back at her.

“Well? Is there anything you need from me?”

Motioning with her head, she said, “The bathroom’s down the hall. And after you get ready for bed, I’ll come and help you get settled.”

Damian scowled at her. Wow, he looked like the spitting image of Bruce at that age and scowled _exactly_ like Batman. He really was Batman’s son.

“I’m not a child, woman.”

“First, don’t call me ‘woman.’ Second, you are following Cat rules, not League rules. So I’ll see you off to bed, alright, kitten?”

The scowl remained on his face. “ _Fine_. I’ll call for you when I’m ready to go to sleep.”

Selina tried to brightly smile, but the kid seemed to think it was suspicious. She had her work cut out for her, if she ever wanted to gain his trust. No student should ever have to distrust their teacher.

Thirty minutes later, Damian called her to his room. When she walked in, she only had a brief second to dodge the katana slicing through the air.

“Damian, stop!” she ordered as she backflipped away from the door, landing in a crouch.

Luckily, Damian followed her order but held the katana in a ready position.

After appraising her for a second longer, he sheathed his katana. “I take it I passed my test, Kyle?”

Heart thumping a million beats a minute, Selina exclaimed, “What’s with you and _tests_?! I told you already: I’m your _teacher_ , not affiliated with the League and its teachings. I only teach you the way of the Cat and keep you hidden from Deathstroke. Emphasis on that last bit. We don’t even have to train if it makes you safer from Deathstroke.”

Damian regarded her for a moment. He opened his mouth but then shut it.

“Damian, I’m not going to _test_ you. You are my _guest_. And if you want to, you will be my _partner_. I won’t ever try to harm you. You can trust me.” She sighed. “I hope you can see that soon, kitten.”

“Don’t call me ‘ _kitten_ ,’” he scowled. She ignored him.

Standing up, Selina shooed him into his room. “Now, get into bed.”

Damian clambered onto the bed, wearing a clean ninja outfit and placing the katana next to him. Selina couldn’t even bring it in her to tell him to change into different clothes and _put away the sword_. This is the life he knew, and it broke Selina’s heart.

Kneeling next to the bed, Selina grabbed the blanket and pulled it over him. From the look on his face, he probably never saw anyone do that for him before. It made her feel sorry for the child who never had a childhood.

Maybe she could fix that.

After he got comfortable in the bed, she patted his head softly, ignoring how tense he got. “Good night, kitten. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to wake me up.” The annoyance and wariness were still in his eyes, but at least he didn’t whip out the katana on her for calling him ‘kitten,’ so she’ll call that progress.

She got up, turned off the lamp, and quietly closed the door behind her as she went to her bedroom.

.....

At 5 AM, Damian awoke to begin his morning routine. Still dressed in his dark brown shozoku, he grabbed his katana and went to the personal gym he took note of last night. It was a modern gym, as expected from someone living in the city, but it will have to do. He spotted ivies growing in potted plants stretching its way to the glass ceiling. Perfect.

As he stepped into the room, he heard a long purr. A black cat lounged in the early morning rays streaming through the ceiling, stretching its body so it took up as much space as possible.

“ _Great_. Now I’ll have to dodge _indolent_ cats while training,” he huffed.

Unsheathing his katana, he hopped off several gym equipment to reach the potted ivies, side flipping and slicing one of the ivy branches.

.....

At 5:30 AM, Selina awoke to hissing and meowing. Huh, strange. Her cats never sounded like that, at least _this_ early in the morning. Perplexed, she got up and made her way closer to the sounds. When she reached Damian’s hallway, she sighed when she heard Damian grunting and _clearly_ attacking something with a katana.

When she reached the gym doors, she saw Damian flipping and hopping around the gym, hacking at the plants Pam gave her. Ivy will be _so_ pissed. Selina tried so hard to put them away from her prying cats’ claws, but apparently her kitten got to it first.

She watched Damian attack Ivy’s plants. He executed a particularly skilled move where the katana blurred faster than she could blink. Seconds later, the ivy stalk fell apart in multiple pieces.

Selina grinned. “He has talent,” she muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you noticed, I clearly used some of Bruce's lines in the Son of Batman film for some of Selina's dialogue. I think even though some of these aren't her lines, they still work on Damian because ~Selina~ is the one delivering it. I feel she has a way to gently explain things to children but not belittle them for it.  
> Please leave a kudos or a comment! It really makes my day when I see a notification from ao3 about my fics :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian settles into Selina's apartment, and they go on their first museum heist together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for keeping y'all waiting. I've been going in and out of hospitals for the past couple months, so please enjoy what I've managed to write.

“Breakfast’s served!” Selina chirped as she set a plate of eggs, toast, and strawberry jam in front of Damian. She filled her mug with coffee and sipped on it.

Damian didn’t make a move to eat, instead asking cautiously, “Are you not eating?” He snapped his head to his right when a white cat hopped onto the table. He slowly turned his attention back from Prissy onto Selina.

Selina nearly slapped herself in the face. Of course, her kitten’s still wary about his food. He has a past of being _poisoned_ by his instructors. Who were Damian’s past trainers? She wanted to choke them with her whip for doing that to their pupil, much less a _child_.

She tried to reassure him. “Damian, I will _never_ try to poison you…and I’ll keep telling this until you believe me. But if you really want to know, I’ll be eating in a couple hours. I have a breakfast interview with reporter Vicky Vale around 8. I don’t want to be too full before then.”

He took a slow bite. A couple seconds later, Selina realized he was carefully tasting his food, most likely for any poisons he was _familiar_ with. She was speechless, but she was glad when he _didn’t_ taste anything poisonous and started digging into his meal heartily.

After swallowing a bite, Damian asked, “I assume you’ll be out today. Do you have any plans for me?”

“Not really. I have a luncheon at the museum to go to, and in the evening I’m going to a gala. But I should be back for a little bit in the afternoon to get ready for it.”

When Prissy pawed at his hand, Damian set his fork roughly down and made a tense fist with his hand. After a couple seconds, he reluctantly pulled his clenched fist into his lap. Well, at least he listened to her about treating the cats better. Prissy swiped at the food on his plate before losing interest.

“I see,” Damian said, wrinkling his nose as he watched Prissy hop off the table. “When can we start my training?”

“I have a job tonight. Well, now that I think about it, most if not all of your training will be done at night.”

She tapped her finger thoughtfully against her lips. How skilled was he at thievery? She didn’t think skilled _assassins_ did much _stealing_. Better to play it safer than sorry. There was a string of jobs she had to do for the next few weeks.

“Hmm, so I don’t want you to do anything yet…”

“But I’m capable!” he indignantly cried.

She clarified, “I want you to _observe_ me tonight, and for the rest of the week. Get an idea of how I do things. Tomorrow morning, we can start some of your training and add more things as you see them.”

If training was a major part of Damian’s life, then it might shock him if he was suddenly _not_ training every day. Selina wanted to give him a routine that made him comfortable living here for however long Talia was gone. So full-time trainer, she was. But that didn’t mean she had to _dump_ him into her lifestyle. It was drastically different than the life of an assassin, so it was better to ease him into it. She hadn’t decided whether or not Damian was going to become some kind of… _Catboy_ , but she still had time to figure it out. She almost wrinkled her nose at the name. Yeah, she needed more time to figure out a better _name_ for Damian if he wanted to go out regularly as her partner.

“That…is acceptable,” Damian finished, nodding once.

Selina appraised him for a second longer and said, “Great, that settles it. I’ll be gone for most of today, but I’ll give you some things before I leave.”

“Is that all?”

“I think so,” she shrugged.

“Am I excused?”

“…sure?” Who was she? She wasn’t his _mother_. She couldn’t really tell him what or what not to do. First and foremost, she was his instructor.

In time, Selina hoped she would become his most _trusted_ instructor.

Damian raised an eyebrow at her as he stood up and grabbed his plate. “You don’t sound so sure,” he said as he went to the sink. He quickly washed his dish and put it on the drying rack.

Bowing once towards her, he said, “I’ll be in my quarters.”

He walked away, and a black cat followed silently after him. She recognized him as one of the cats making noise this morning when Damian was… _trimming_ her ivies. With an amused smile, Selina watched Damian try to stop Altair from entering his room until he gave up, letting Altair slink through his legs. The child angrily slammed his door in response to Selina’s chuckling.

.....

After Selina got ready for her day, she went to Damian’s room holding a couple items. Altair had curled himself on Damian’s pillow, looking like a loaf of black bread.

“I see Altair’s taken a liking to you.”

Damian wrinkled his nose at her. He kept on denying it, but she knew Damian was a child at heart. She has never met anyone near petulant or impatient as Damian.

“That cat is unfit for the name. The ‘eye of the eagle’ is deserving of more honor and respect than some _cat_.”

Selina inquisitively looked at him before striding over to Altair. She gently stroked his head.

“I was coming back from a job and just so happened to come across a woman walking to the animal shelter. She was leaving Gotham for her new job in Utah, but she couldn’t take Altair with her. So I took him in for her. I think this is his home now. He hasn’t left my penthouse at all since he came here. I think if he had a choice between me or his previous owner, he’d stay here with me.”

Altair purred in agreement, licking her hand. Damian looked between Selina and Altair with an unreadable expression.

Digging through her purse, she then handed Damian a credit card and a slip of paper. “Here’s one of my credit cards, if you need it. And here’s instructions on how to get inside my apartment.”

“ _Without_ using the window,” she added when Damian opened his mouth. He shut it quickly.

Inspecting both items, he asked, “Am I allowed to go out, or do you want me to stay inside all day?”

“Hmm, if you do go out for the day, please be careful. Deathstroke’s still out, and he might be looking for you.” She had the strongest urge to keep him under her constant watch, but at the same time she didn’t want to _suffocate_ Damian. She also didn’t want to look like she was doubting his abilities. He was a trained assassin, after all.

“Here, kitten,” she said as she swiped the paper from Damian and grabbed a nearby pencil. Damian made a grabbing motion after the paper, offended that she expertly stole something straight from his hands.

“I’ll write down my phone number, so you know how to get a hold of me.” She handed the paper back, and Damian snatched it in indignation. With a sour face, Damian read its contents quickly.

“Would you like me to buy a phone? Is your phone secure?” he inquired.

“Sure, you can. And yes, it’s secure. The card has a limit of $50,000. Go ham…but don’t get _too_ crazy. I don’t need an _ATV_ or something like that in my home, kitten.”

“-tt- I’m not a _kitten_ , Kyle.”

Selina ignored him and said, “I’m heading out now. I’ll see you around 4.” She patted his head gently. He didn’t tense this time, instead looking a bit miffed. She could work with that.

.....

As Kyle left, Damian thumbed the credit card in his hand. First things first: get supplies. Most importantly, he needed a laptop. If he couldn’t go out and hunt Deathstroke physically, then he’d have to do it _virtually_.

.....

Halfway through her museum luncheon, Selina got a message from an unknown number. She quickly added the contact as, ‘Kitten,’ and pocketed her phone, continuing her brief surveillance. Tonight’s heist should be laughably easy, even if she didn’t put a backdoor in the museum’s recently upgraded security system. Pfft. WayneTech had nothing on the world’s greatest thief.

But it also helped she knew how WayneTech worked because of her nightly escapades with a certain Bat.

.....

When Damian got back to his room, the useless black cat greeted him.

“Meow!”

“Shut it, stupid cat,” he ordered, dumping his new backpack onto the floor. He didn’t worry about the new laptop too much because it was cushioned by all the clothes he bought. As much as he preferred his League attire, he knew wearing his shozoku out in public would make him stick out like a sore thumb. The exact opposite of a stealthy ninja.

So he was now wearing a black turtleneck sweater and gray slacks. He found he much preferred this style

While Damian pulled out his laptop and set it on his desk, the cat slinked to his backpack and pawed at it. Rapidly typing on the keyboard, he seethed at it. “If you tear _any_ of my clothes, I’ll tear through _you_.”

Its wide, green eyes looked at him for a couple seconds before hopping onto his desk. Then, it had the audacity to _lay_ across the keyboard and his hands. With his hands underneath the cursed thing, he shooed it off to the side. His new instructor had a thing for cats, so he couldn’t just _chuck_ the damn thing out his window. The cat’s claws dug into his forearms, and he hissed as he roughly shoved it off his desk.

He assessed the damage. Some of the scratch marks were bleeding, but Damian didn’t worry about it. He’d been through far worse than cat scratches.

Scowling when the cat hopped back onto his desk, he addressed it. “You’re lucky my instructor likes you, or I’d kill you myself.” It leisurely laid across his laptop again, stretching to take up more room on his desk. Really?

He didn’t believe in bad luck, but he was starting to believe this cat just gave some to him.

.....

The moment Kyle walked through the door, Damian spoke up.

“Kyle, you need a servant to take care of all these dam-“ He stopped himself in time and corrected himself, “unruly cats. They’ll overrun this penthouse if _someone_ doesn’t control them.”

After his forearms were clawed, his newly-bought black turtleneck sweater was next. It now had several puncture marks in it. Day _one_ with his instructor, and he was already looking like a cat owner. Disgusting.

She shrugged as she placed her purse on the kitchen island. “They’re cats. It’s part of their nature to do what they want. I don’t think a servant will change that.”

“-tt- You should still have a servant. It’s unbecoming for a social elite to live in these _filthy_ conditions.” He tried to sit on the living room couch earlier, but a blanket of cat hairs quickly turned him away from the idea. The new clothes he bought a few hours ago were already covered in cat hairs and dander.

Tapping her finger to her lips, Kyle said, “Hmm, okay. I’ll look into it, but I don’t think you need a _nanny_ , don’t you?”

A _nanny_?! He wasn’t a _child_!

His cheeks growing warm, he sputtered out, “That-that’s not what I was saying! I don’t need a-a _nanny_!”

Selina giggled. “Then I suppose we don’t need a servant, much less a nanny, then.”

She sauntered away, leaving Damian stunned in the kitchen. If he weren’t so offended, he would’ve smirked at how well she deflected his complaints. He could see why even _Batman_ couldn’t control Catwoman.

Storming back to his room, he shut the door on the moronic cat. He furiously typed away as the cat scratched at the door. Stupid cat. There will be claw marks on the door now.

.....

A hand slithered into the crook of Bruce’s left elbow. He already knew who it was before looking.

“Selina,” Bruce smiled wide, layering on his _Brucie_ impression, “how have you been? I last saw you-”

“At Tim’s birthday party,” she finished for him. “I remember clearly.”

He opened his mouth to respond but was stopped by glass clangs.

“Everyone, may I have your attention?” On stage, Samantha Vanaver waved around a spoon, holding a glass of champagne in her other hand. “I would like to thank you all for coming to the opening of my family’s latest project-“

Bruce listened with rapt attention. Wayne Enterprises were close to securing a contract with the Vanaver family company. For his upcoming philanthropy project, he’s spent the past couple months attending board meetings with the Vanavers. He’s gotten to know Samantha very well. They even went out for dinner last week and shared many interests surrounding Gotham City. He knew she was drawn to him as much as he was drawn to her.

When she made eye contact with him, Samantha’s gaze lingered on him before moving onto the rest of the crowd. As Samantha continued her speech, Selina leaned into Bruce’s ear.

In her silky voice, she purred, “She’s very attractive. A hair pretentious. Definitely a little shallow…but I can tell she wants to change Gotham. As much as I like our nightly affairs, I approve of her. You two could really change Gotham.”

Bruce momentarily winced. “I’m that obvious, am I?”

“Oh, I actually heard about the rumor from Vicky. But yes. You’re clearly into her. Didn’t really need Vicky to see _that_.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Vicky Vale,” he said dubiously.

Knowing him too well, Selina rolled her eyes and indulged him. “I had a breakfast interview with her. Managed to wheedle some information out of her, _including_ how she has several contacts within the Vanaver and Wayne companies.”

Noted. He added a task to his ever-growing list: Investigate Vicky Vale to prevent any rumors about him and Samantha.

Bruce took a swig of his champagne. “So…I hear a new _cat_ is in town.”

“Ah, you mean my _kitten_. Don’t worry. His bite is worse than his meow.”

“Fun,” Bruce deadpanned.

Selina chuckled. “Should be fun for your little _birdie_ , hmm? Poor boy gets abandoned when we have _our_ fun.”

So Selina planned to have her… _Catboy_ fight Robin? Tim won’t be pleased to hear that.

“You could say that,” he gruffly replied.

Before they could continue their conversation, applause filled the room. The pair clapped their hands in celebration for Gotham’s first free mental health center.

.....

When Selina opened the door, she hollered, “Damian! I’m home!”

“You said our ‘warmup’ would be a surprise. Well? What is it?” Damian followed her as she went to her room.

“Yoga,” she answered simply, a cheeky grin on her face.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Do I look like I ‘kid’?”

Damian crossed his arms. “Do you _really_ want me to answer that?”

Selina chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Meet me in the gym in ten minutes, fully dressed. We’ll leave once we’re done warming up.” Damian nodded his assent, promptly leaving to get dressed. Despite his tough appearances, he was typically an obedient child. Selina wondered what her kitten went through to act so tough. He was only a child. Children deserve childhoods.

.....

“You should get more creative with your thievery. It seems like every night you rob a museum,” Damian huffed.

Standing on the ledge, Selina turned around to face him. She admitted he looked adorable crossing his arms like that. The child was dressed in his _shozoku_ – he wouldn’t stand her calling his outfit a ‘ninja suit’ – with the hood pulled up and a dark cloth covering the lower half of his face, obscuring his facial features. When they left her penthouse, he wouldn’t part with his katana, so it was strapped across his back. Selina told him to not use it, and more importantly not to kill anyone, but she felt like her commands fell on deaf ears.

She raised her hands in the air. “Hey, it’s not _my_ idea to store priceless jewelry in a public space. Trust me, kitten, I wish my routine heists were more exciting than seeing Batman.” Her regular Gotham heists weren’t typically interesting unless _Bruce_ spiced up her night.

“Routine?” Damian inquired.

Shrugging, Selina started listing off on her fingers, “Museums. Jewelry shops. Houses. Banks. Vaults. Animal pounds-“

“Animal pounds? What would you even steal there?”

Selina grinned. “You’ll see soon. Now, let’s go.”

Jumping off the ledge, Selina free fell before using her whip to catch herself. With a flip, she landed silently on the museum’s skylight. Damian landed next to her without making a sound. Using her claws, Selina cut a hole into the skylight and pulled out the glass disk. She handed the disk to Damian, and he set it down next to him. Attaching the end of her whip to one of the metal beams on the skylight, Selina slipped through the hole and descended. She glanced up and saw Damian following her using his grappling hook.

Before they made it to the ground, Selina saw a guard turn around a corner and detect them. She knew the guard rotations. This guard wasn’t supposed to be here. What was he doing here?

Just as the guard reached for his radio, Damian unsheathed his katana and landed on the ground. He moved so quickly that Selina didn’t have time to react. Damian charged the guard and stabbed him in the stomach. The guard’s eyes bulged out of its sockets, and with a gasp he collapsed onto the floor, dead. Selina was shocked, her mouth agape. Damian calmly flicked his katana, splattering the museum floor with blood but informally cleaning his katana.

Selina finally recovered some of her speech and set herself lightly on the ground, nearly staggering on her wobbling legs. “Damian!” she hissed, stomping over to him. “What-what did you do?!”

Sheathing his katana, he turned to her and simply replied, “We were spotted,” as if killing a person was the correct response to being detected by a guard. Selina wanted to vomit. A dead body was on the ground in front of her, the stench of blood filling her nostrils. She could hardly think.

“Damian, I told you not to kill anyone!”

“But we were spotted!” Damian insisted.

“Hey, Randy, your _potty_ break finally over-“ A guard rounded the corner and stopped like a deer in headlights. Oh great. _Another_ guard to deal with. The guard began to reach for his radio. Before Damian could kill another person tonight, Selina grabbed him by the arm and swung her whip into the air, attaching it to the same beam she used earlier to lower herself into the museum. Ignoring Damian’s protests at how he could handle himself, she retracted her whip, and they climbed the skylight.

When they reached the rooftop, Selina ordered, “Follow me!” She vaulted over a ledge and sailed across the gap between the museum and another building. She heard Damian’s footfalls right behind hers. Her mind was racing at a hundred miles per hour. What does she do now? Should she give him back to Talia? Does she lecture Damian about killing people? Turn him in to Batman? She needed some time to think.

Halfway to the closest safehouse, Selina glimpsed a glint of metal and suddenly dropped to her knees, sliding across the rooftop tiles. A batarang whistled over her head, slicing the air.

Selina heard a clang. Looking behind her, she saw Damian had expertly swung his katana to deflect a birdarang. He held himself in a fighting stance with his katana, facing Batman and Robin.

Bruce was here. Shit. Her night just kept getting worse and worse.

“Catwoman!” Batman boomed, using his grappling hook. She could tell he was _furious_ about her new protegee killing someone. “Hand him over! _Now_!”

Circling her hand around Damian’s wrist, she pulled him forward and kept running. It was no use. Batman and Robin caught up to them in seconds and attacked them.

“This is your last warning! Hand him over, Catwoman!” Selina ducked as Batman swiped at her head with his cape. She had been hit with his fist and cape before. Not fun.

As Damian fought Tim, Selina ordered, “Don’t kill him!”

With a roll of his eyes, Damian gritted, “ _Fine_.”

She backflipped out of Batman’s way, narrowly dodging his fist. Wow. She usually wasn’t _this_ bad at fending off Batman. She was probably still shaken by Damian killing that guard earlier.

Selina threw herself forward, blocking Batman’s kick. In a split-second decision, she pickpocketed his smoke bomb and jumped back.

Still fending off Batman, she expertly kicked him in the face, knocking him off balance. Now was her chance. “Time to retreat!” she called to Damian.

“I’m no coward.” Damian continued slashing his katana at Robin, who was barely evading Damian’s attacks. Nearly rolling her eyes, Selina swung her whip in between the two boys, breaking up their fight.

“Don’t be stupid,” Selina huffed, throwing down the smoke bomb.

.....

Holding his cape to his face, Bruce squinted through the smoke. When it cleared, Selina and her protegee were nowhere to be seen.

Tim opened his mouth, most likely to form a plan, but Bruce beat him to it.

“Let’s head back to the Batcave, Robin.”

Even through the domino mask, Bruce could see Tim narrow his eyes at him. “You’re going to talk to her, right?” he asked, disbelieving.

Without a word, Bruce turned around and headed to the Batmobile, his cape sweeping across the ground. Yes, he was going to talk to Selina and find out exactly _who_ this boy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I know Damian originally said that line about Samantha Vanaver in the movie, but I felt like Selina would say it better in this AU.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and please leave a like or a comment, I'd love to hear what you think!  
> Low key, I forgot how old Damian was in Son of Batman (I think in Judas Contract he's like 13-15, so I definitely don't have a solid timeline) so I went with nine years old. Someone please let me know if that's wrong. I don't really want to watch through the entire movie because overall I didn't like it as much as Bad Blood or Batman vs. Robin.  
> Also, should I continue this fic? I feel like if I do, I'm not sure how I can make the rest of the DCAMU movies fit with this AU. I'm not really familiar with New 52 so that's why I'm having this problem. Should I try to follow the DCAMU timeline or should I just start mixing canons and timelines? I think if I can mix storylines and stuff, I can probably continue this fic because I won't have to deal with how Jason, Tim, Steph, Cass, and Colin don't exist in the DCAMU


End file.
